This invention relates generally to signalling devices and more particularly relates to a device for automatically signalling the fact that a mailbox has been opened.
In rural areas as well as some suburban areas, mail is delivered directly from a vehicle rather than by a mail carrier on foot. This necessitates the use of the conventional, rural-type of mailbox which is mounted on a post or other means next to the road. The mailbox is often located a significant distance from the house for which the mail is intended and in rural areas the distance may be very substantial.
It would therefore be a significant convenience to have a signalling device to permit an inhabitant of the house to discern from the house whether or not mail has been delivered. Without such a device, the inhabitant must walk or bicycle to the mailbox and open it to determine this fact. Such a signalling device would prevent unnecessary trips to the mailbox especially on those days when the mail carrier is late or no mail was contained in that day's delivery for the particular house.
Such a signal is also a convenience to the home owner who may be arriving home in his automobile and wishes to know whether mail has been delivered without the necessity of pulling the car over to the mailbox or getting out of the car. In both of the above examples, the occurrence of inclement weather makes such a signalling device even more of a convenience.
There is, therefore, a need for a signalling device which will activate the signal automatically as a result of the opening of the door by the mail carrier who can not be expected to separately activate a signal in addition to delivering the mail. Additionally there is a need for such a signalling device in which the status of the signal is plainly visible from a substantial distance away at the house. With such a device, a person located at a remote point can easily see whether the mailbox has been opened for the deposit of the mail.
In addition to being plainly visible from a substantial remote distance it is desirable that the signalling means at no time obscure the name or number which may be painted on the side of the mailbox from persons travelling along the road who may need to read the name on the mailbox to find the residence of a particular person.
Many others have suggested a substantial variety of devices for signalling the opening of the mailbox. However, such devices are usually characterized by a relatively complicated mechanical apparatus which makes the device expensive, unsightly and difficult to install.